Tarantino!

This is why I love LA.

Go See MOON

Currently in limited release. It's smart sci-fi that's also heartbreaking drama. Sam Rockwell gives an amazing Oscar-worthy performance and the score by Clint Mansell is emotionally devastating. The less you know about the plot the better. It will easily make my top ten list this year.

LOST Meets FULL HOUSE

Coppola's TETRO Trailer

Francis Ford Coppola returned to directing after a ten year break with the overlooked 2007 indie Youth Without Youth and now he's back with another indie, also his first original screenplay since The Conversation. I love Coppola's return to his roots and hopefully Lucas will follow his lead. If Coppola wasn't enough, the casting of eccentric actor Vincent Gallo and the amazing black and white cinematography make this a must see. It will be released June 11th.

Soderbergh Casts Demetri Martin in MONEYBALL

Lately there has been a growing trend of casting comedians in dramatic films whether it's Todd Barry and Judah Friedlander in Aronofsky's The Wrestler, Patton Oswalt and a whole crew of comedians in Soderbergh's The Informant, or Demetri Martin in Ang Lee's Taking Woodstock. Now Martin has lined up another big role alongside Brad Pitt in Steven Soderbergh's "Moneyball," the adaptation of the Michael Lewis book about ballplayer-turned-Oakland Athletics manager Billy Beane (Pitt) and his attempt to field a competitive team on a slim payroll. Martin will play Paul De Podesta, a Harvard grad who turned down Wall Street jobs to use his statistical skills to change baseball scouting tactics. His system, known as "Earned Run Value," allowed Beane to evaluate valuable players he could hire at low cost. Also joining the cast is a group of actual baseball players: former Oakland A's team members David Justice and Scott Hatteberg have signed on to play themselves in the picture, while Daryl Strawberry and Lenny Dykstra are among those who will be seen on camera being interviewed about their experiences with Beane when he was drafted by the New York Mets before becoming a baseball scout. Oscar-winning screenwriter Steve Zaillian is doing a rewrite on a script originated by Stan Chervin. I think Martin is one of funniest comedians working today (watch his show on Comedy Central for proof) and I'm excited to see him transition to movies. Taking Woodstock will be released on Aug. 14th and Moneyball begins shooting in June.

First Photo of ROBIN HOOD

The first image from Ridley Scott's upcoming Robin Hood film has been released. They have decided to go with a more modern style which producer Brian Grazer says "looks, if anything, more like he did in Gladiator than anything we're used to seeing with Robin Hood." Nobody does period epics like Scott and while I haven't seen the BBC series I am glad to see the character back in a big way. Joining Crowe is Cate Blanchett as Maid Marion, Vanessa Redgrave as Queen Eleanor, Mark Strong as Sir Godfrey, Oscar Issac as King John, Léa Seydoux as French Princess Isabella, William Hurt as Earl of Pembroke, Scott Grimes as Will Scarlet, Kevin Durand as Little John, and Alan Doyle as Allan Adayle. The Sheriff of Nottingham has not been announced but how awesome would it be if they got Alan Rickman to reprise his role?

DEPARTURES Gets A Limited Release

One of the biggest surprises at this year's Oscars was best foreign film going to Japan's Departures instead of the favored Waltz with Bashir. Now Regent Releasing is giving the film a limited release on May 29th. The film follows Daigo Kobayashi (Masahiro Motoki), a devoted cellist in an orchestra that has just been dissolved and who is suddenly left without a job. He answers a classified ad entitled “Departures” thinking it is an advertisement for a travel agency only to discover that the job is actually for a funeral professional who prepares deceased bodies for burial. It looks like a charming Jim Jarmusch-style movie with dry humor, charming characters, and emotional moments. Once you've seen Up, seek it out along with The Brothers Bloom this May. Check out the trailer below.

Forrest Gump in 1 Minute

MEDICINE FOR MELANCHOLY Trailer

Check out the trailer for this indie from SF.

New SHERLOCK HOLMES Photo

After making the pretty entertaining RocknRolla, Guy Ritchie and Joel Silver are teaming up again for a new take on Sherlock Holmes. Robert Downey Jr. is Holmes, Jude Law is Dr. Watson, and Rachel McAdams is Irene Adler. It's also being shot by one of my favorite cinematographers Philippe Rousselot (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, A River Runs Through It, Constantine). I'm looking forward to this one and hopefully a new series of Sherlock films.